The concealed handgun license class is part of an effort to permit teachers to carry firearms in schools in Van, Texas, the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported.

KLTV identified the maintenance department employee as Glenn Geddie, and reported him hospitalized in fair condition.

A statement from the Van Independent School District said the incident occurred at the end of the formal training Wednesday when a "certified person" stayed for private instruction with the trainer "and had a mechanical malfunction with his weapon," KLTV reported.

"With the assistance of the instructor, the malfunction was addressed, but the gun misfired and the bullet ricocheted coming back to strike the VISD employee in the left leg," the statement said. The victim was treated at the scene and transferred to a hospital.

The gun classes were set up under a new school board policy approved in January that authorized "specific school employees and other persons" to possess certain firearms on school property and at school events.

The board said the new policy was prompted "by recent school shootings in our country."

"We are going to go above and beyond on all-out training," school Superintendent Don Dunn said in January, KLTV reported. "We're going to start training immediately. It will be every employee who is approved to carry."

Van, with a population of around 2,600 people, is located in the northeast corner of Texas.